Ko Phayam, Thailand - My first island

I left Maggie's Guesthouse in a minivan with our Dutch Fella Rick. He was going south but finally to the opposite coast. I was heading South but to the Andaman Coast to my first island in Thailand. We shared a minivan to Chumphon first where we  said goodbye. He stayed there and I took another minivan to Ranong. Ranong would be my jumping off point to the island of Ko Phayam (note that the "h" in Thai is silent).

Arriving at Ranong, I couldn't make it for the last 5:30 p.m. speed boat to the island. Because of the lack of people (low season of course) they had cancelled it. So I had to look for a hostel where to stay. Ranong is a border city where you can go to Myanmar if you feel like to (for a day mostly if you leave your passport at the boarder and come back the same day); otherwise you need to get a visa that is granted to an embassy. For the first time I saw the concept of "Boutique-Hostel" that according to the LP it had been renovated and I had to take a look. It was a nice hostel with private rooms where the rules where: "You receive a clean white sheet, but in case there is any stain of any origin or any color, you will pay 200 extra Baht". So I better shower before even the dirt of my neck lays on the sheet.

Ranong is a city just to pass by. There is not much to do here but it still offers local ambiance and local food. It was enough for a dinner, a sleep and a breakfast. Next morning I was heading to the pear to take the speed boat to the island.

There are two ways to get to Ko Phayam; one is a slow big boat that will take 1.5 hours and the other is a speed boat that will take you 45 minutes. The difference in price is 150 Bahts (200 vs. 350). That would be 4 euro's if we make the conversion. Slow boats are limited one or two per day while speed boats go more frequent (5-6 times a day).

Arriving to the island, you feel already that you are out of civilization. Everything if back to basics (But with electricity and Wi-Fi). There are no cars on the island and only motorcycles. The best option is to rent a motorcycle for 200 Baht per day and you are free, because walking to the beaches is not an option unless you want to spend the whole day on a road looking at tropical vegetation sweating from head to toe.



My first night I spent in a hut of June Horizon hostel. During the day, it was a nice hut in front of the beach for 300 Bahts. But during night, it was an animal paradise. I was sleeping inside a mosquito net but because the hut was open, it could let anybody in, and with anybody I mean 40 cm gecko's, mosquito and insects that I hadn't seen before in my life. Not a very cozy night for me as you stay alert that nobody will invade your bed while sleeping.

Next morning, Berengere was heading the same island and she was joining too. I had rented a motorcycle and I went to pick her up. After evaluating the situation we decided to move to other bungalows next to the ones I was staying. These one were called Vijit.

After bargaining with the sweet Thai girl on the counter, we could get a bungalow for 300 Bahts (But not in front of the beach. These cost 800 Baht). These bungalows where much nicer, in front of a real beach and more well maintained. It was feeling like paradise already. The food was very good and I decided to stay there for two nights.

Ko Phayam is a place to relax, explore beaches, driver your motorcycle and eat nicely. There are no cars, so riding a motorcycle is a piece of cake. You will find gasoline on every single stand in the middle of the road (sold in a plastic water bottle) and people here are living the day to day in a quite and very friendly mood. The island is not so touristy and it is perfect place to get away from civilization.

After exploring the beaches from north to south, east to west of this small island. Trying the local food and having just fun. My time arrived and I had to keep on heading South. Berengere dropped me that morning at the Pier so I could take my speed boat back and keep my journey.